As much traveling as I have done, I have never traveled overseas. I do not have a passport. A while back, I was watching "Ellen" and she surprised an audience member with a trip to London to see the Spice Girls. At that time, I decided I NEEDED to have a passport, you know, just in case someone wanted to surprise me with a trip overseas :o) However, it never got done.
I DID go to Toronto when I was in sixth grade. Too bad I don't have a clue where the pictures are from that trip because they would be REALLY fun to see! That was the one year I did "competitive" gymnastics. I was in the lowest level, but did get a couple of awards. We got to travel to Toronto in a chartered bus for a competition. I remember learning the Canadian National Anthem, going to Niagara Falls, an amusement park, a big mall, and parts of the competition, but most of my memories are a blur. (I'm sure pictures would help!) I do know that I placed the highest of any gymnast at my club, and believe it may have even been in the Top 25. I still have a dream of one day being able to do a round-off-back-handspring. Seriously, for some reason I believe there is a person out there who would be willing to teach a 30ish-year-old how to do that, but a girl can dream, right?! And yes, I am aware that I would be an obese gymnast, but my legs are still pretty strong from work and all those softball games playing catcher...anyway, I guess it is a dream that I haven't made any steps toward reaching, but now you know about it :o)
Last year, I joined a transplant nurse organization. So, I get mailings from them all the time, including information about a convention in Montreal this September. I threw away the paperwork, but continued to think about it. A couple weeks ago (if I remember correctly, it was the day my nephew was born!), I decided to take a chance and ask my manager if the hospital would pay for me to go to the convention. The director was actually in her office when I asked, but the manager said with the economy the way it is, there isn't that much in the budget to do that this year. However, she thought maybe we could work on a project and present at next year's convention. That was a sufficient answer for me, and I started thinking about what we could do that actually would be worthy of presenting...
So, I was surprised yesterday when I went to my meeting and my manager asked if I had gotten her email. I hadn't been able to check my work email at home for a while, so my answer was "no"...but, I figured it had to do with the note I had left her regarding people not doing their job. Nope, she was wondering if I still wanted to go to the Convention. Um, yeah, totally...except I don't have a passport! So, after my meeting, I headed on down to the post office, filled out the paperwork, got my picture taken, and should have a passport in hand in a few weeks. I will be sharing a room with my manager, but I believe there are three or four other people who are going from my hospital. I get along very well with my manager, but am kind of hoping we will not attend all of the same sessions!
That additional trip means it will be a VERY busy fall! I will be there September 23-26. The hospital will pay for airfare and the conference and we will get reimbursed for the hotel and food after we get back. So, that won't be THAT expensive of a vacation...hopefully! I have already purchased airline tickets for my birthday trip to Vegas October 21-24, but since I am one who enjoys the gambling...I better start picking up extra shifts now! Also, the Chicago Girls may be having a fall reunion...no definite plans yet, but I'm already getting excited about that! (If you haven't seen that slide show of pictures from the trip, or it's been a while...you should watch it...ha! I just watched it again...as if the first 100 times wasn't enough!) So, not only is there a bit of fun summer left, I have TONS to look forward to this fall! Then, my friend in California gets married in January, and my friend who lives in Germany is having a baby...I better start playing the lottery!
If it weren't for missing church, I have kind of enjoyed my weekend work schedule for the past few weeks. Last week I was off Monday through Thursday, and have the same schedule this week. Today, I had my kitchen measured for new flooring. It currently has carpet (I will have to take a picture...maybe I will clean it tomorrow and THEN take some pictures!) and a store here was having a 32 months same as cash deal, so I decided this was a good time to get rid of carpet in the kitchen. I will be getting laminate floor that looks like wood. I'm VERY excited! I also sat outside reading my book club book a couple different times (I need to buy a lawn chair or something because laying out on the front lawn of my house with the corner lot is a LITTLE tacky I think...) It is a very good book and the first book I have read in a LONG time. I forgot how books can just take you away and make you forget about reality for a while. The book is set in Washington State, a place that I have never actually been, but I definitely was wishing I was reading on the beach at the ocean...not-so-much, but I did try to imagine I was there!
My nephew turns three weeks old tomorrow! I didn't take any pictures of him today for some reason (maybe I figured he needed a break from the paparazzi, especially after the rough night he had...apparently, mommy eating very spicy chicken did not make the little boy very happy last night...you live, you learn I guess!), but these are from Monday and yesterday. They actually got professional photos taken on Monday, so it will be great to see those. My sister was VERY unhappy with her wedding pictures, so hopefully these ones will be more to her liking.
Well, my "night owl" friend (you know who you are ;o) ) has gone to bed, and I'd MUCH rather read my book than work on my self-evaluation, so off to bed with my book :o)
Good night.
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